The present invention relates to sealed housings in general, and more particularly to a sealed housing of a submerged generator.
There are already known housings for use in submerged installations, such as generator housings for use in water, wherein the water flows around the housing when in use. This type of generator housing usually includes a generator stator which is constructed as a cylindrical structural component, and is arranged between a cupola-shaped upstream part, and a downstream part which is configurated as a tubular turbine housing, the generator stator being sealingly and threadedly connected to the latter.
For tubular bi-partite bodies having huge diameters of several meters, which must be sealed and in which telescoping of the tubular parts is not possible, owing to mounting considerations, axial shifts of the tubular body, caused by thermal dilation, must be permissible while maintaining mutual centering of all parts. Such extraordinarily hermetic mounting arrangements for hollow bodies are necessary, for instance, for tubular turbines of the submerged constructions, which are exposed to water pressure, and around which the water flows during the use of the generator housing.
The embodiments which have become known heretofore utilize one-piece sliding rings with annular seals accommodated therein. When the diameters are huge, it is no longer possible, for reasons of transportation, to make the sliding ring of one piece, so that separating joint seals must be additionally provided. Furthermore, bolts, screws and key elements are required for the sliding, which must also be sealed. An exchange or renewal of the annular seals is not possible without resorting to considerable disassembling procedures.